Karen Lewis Undergoes Emergency Surgery
By Chuck Sudo in News on Oct 9, 2014 1:30PM
Chicago Teachers Union President Karen Lewis, seen at a rally protesting school closings in March. (Photo credit: Aaron Cynic/Chicagoist)
Details about Karen Lewis’ health are still closely guarded after the Chicago Teachers Union president underwent emergency surgery at Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wednesday night. Lewis, who has been exploring a possible mayoral campaign, was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital Sunday night with what CTU spokespeople have called “stroke-like symptoms,” but stressed her doctors have ruled out a stroke. The Wednesday surgery, according to NBC 5, is related to a new health development.
Lewis traveled to Mexico in March to undergo bariatric weight loss surgery (she said her health insurance wouldn’t cover the procedure in the United States) and has lost over 100 pound since then. A source told NBC 5 Wednesday’s surgery is unrelated to any complications from that procedure, as well. Lewis’ health setbacks deserve a measure of privacy, but her very public flirtations with challenging Rahm Emanuel for mayor next February have some calling for CTU to release some details of her current condition. At this point, her condition is becoming an obstacle to whatever campaign she had in the works and the longer the union keeps the public in the dark, the greater it could hurt any chances she had of running.
Tribune columnist John Kass wrote that CTU should at least reveal what is the root of Lewis’ health problems because of her public presence and Chicago’s history of mayors dying in office.
The tribe that wants her to chop Rahm down wants answers, and the tribe that seeks to protect Rahm wants an admission that she's too ill to govern. Reporters want answers and my editors want answers. And the Lewis camp's long silence and reports of emergency surgery add to the urgency.
(We add that, at this stage, Lewis’ health should be paramount.)
The teachers union has scheduled a 4 p.m. news conference at their Merchandise Mart headquarters where they are expected to offer an update on her hospitalization.